Hydrangea Macrophylla Plant Named &#39;Little Bo Peep&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Hydrangea macrophylla  plant named ‘Little Bo Peep’, characterized by its remontant (reblooming) trait, flowering on old wood and new growth of the season; small, medium pink mophead inflorescences or medium blue inflorescences in non-aluminum or aluminum based media, respectively; compact, mounded to spreading growth habit; lustrous, dark green foliage; reddish green stems and petioles; and moderate resistance to powdery mildew and leaf spot.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.61/784,850 filed Mar. 14, 2013, the disclosure of which is incorporatedby reference in its entirety.

GENUS AND SPECIES OF PLANT CLAIMED

Hydrangea macrophylla (Thunb.) Ser.

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘Little Bo Peep’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofHydrangea macrophylla, a member of the Hydrangeaceae family, hereinafterreferred to by its cultivar name ‘Little Bo Peep’. This cultivar isgrown primarily as an ornamental for landscape use and for use as apotted plant.

The cultivar originated from a controlled cross-pollination of Hydrangeamacrophylla ‘PIIHM-I’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,176) crossed withHydrangea macrophylla ‘Mini Penny’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,744) inWatkinsville, Ga. in 2007, and was selected from the progeny of thiscross by continued evaluation for growth habit and improved leaf andflower characteristics. The cultivar ‘Little Bo Peep’ originated and wasdiscovered in a cultivated environment in Watkinsville, Ga.

‘Little Bo Peep’ has been asexually reproduced by softwood cuttingssince 2009 in Watkinsville, Ga. The characteristics of the cultivar havebeen stable and reproduced true to type in successive vegetativegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

‘Little Bo Peep’ has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with changes in light,temperature, soil and rainfall without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The following traits have been observed and represent thecharacteristics of the new cultivar. In combination thesecharacteristics distinguish ‘Little Bo Peep’ from all other varieties incommerce known to the inventor. 1) Remontant (reblooming) trait,flowering on old wood and new growth of the season. 2) Small, mediumpink mophead inflorescences or medium blue inflorescences innon-aluminum or aluminum based media, respectively. 3) Compact, moundedto spreading growth habit. 4) Lustrous, dark green foliage. 5) Reddishgreen stems and petioles. 6) Moderate resistance to powdery mildew andleaf spot.

‘Little Bo Peep’ is distinguished from its female parent ‘PIIHM-I’ byits growth habit and inflorescence type. ‘Little Bo Peep’ has a compact,mounded to spreading growth habit and mophead inflorescences, whereas‘PIIHM-I’ has an overall larger, upright, rounded and spreading growthhabit and lacecap inflorescences. ‘Little Bo Peep’ is distinguished fromits male parent ‘Mini Penny’ by its growth habit, inflorescence size,flower quantity, and petiole color. ‘Little Bo Peep’ has a compact,mounded to spreading growth habit, smaller inflorescences, moreinflorescences per plant, and reddish green stems and petioles, whereas‘Mini Penny’ has an overall larger, compact, mounded growth habit,larger inflorescences, fewer inflorescences per plant, and green stemsand petioles. There are no other cultivars of Hydrangea macrophylla withthis combination of traits known to the inventor.

‘Little Bo Peep’ can be compared to the cultivar ‘Pia’ (not patented)but differs in the following characteristics. ‘Little Bo Peep’ rebloomsthroughout the growing season with medium pink or blue flowers, whereas‘Pia’ does not rebloom and has darker pink or blue flowers. ‘Little BoPeep’ has reddish green stems and petioles, whereas ‘Pia’ has greenstems and petioles. ‘Little Bo Peep’ has improved cold hardiness, vigor,and resistance to powdery mildew and leaf spot compared to ‘Pia’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying illustrations show characteristics of the new cultivarin photographs as true to color as is reasonably possible to make inillustrations of this nature. Colors in the photographs may differslightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanicaldescription which accurately describe the colors of the new Hydrangea.

FIG. 1 illustrates a ‘Little Bo Peep’ plant grown in a container in theabsence of aluminum.

FIG. 2 illustrates an inflorescence on ‘Little Bo Peep’ grown in theabsence of aluminum.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for thedescription were grown in 11.8 L containers in a medium consisting ofcomposted pine bark that was amended with 45 grams of aluminum sulphateand a pH of 5.7. Plants were grown under 50% shade under outdoorconditions in a nursery in Watkinsville, Ga. Plants were about 2 yearsold when the description was recorded.

-   Botanical classification: ‘Little Bo Peep’ is a cultivar of    Hydrangea macrophylla. Parentage: The current variety is a progeny    from a controlled cross-pollination of Hydrangea macrophylla    ‘PIIHM-I’ crossed with Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Mini Penny’.    Propagation: Vegetatively by stem cuttings.-   Plant description:

The claimed variety is a compact, mounded to spreading deciduous shrub.The original plant, now about 6-years-old in the ground, is about 84 cmin height from the soil level to the top of the inflorescences, andabout 198 cm in diameter. Freely branching. The plant is cold hardy inUSDA Zones 5 to 9.

-   Stems: First year stems have a diameter of about 4 mm, a round    shape, and a stout, glabrous and lustrous texture with very fine    pubescence. Exfoliation: on second year and older stems, flaky and    stringy. Internodes have a length of about 3.5 cm. The stem color is    178A maturing to 144C. Second year stems have a diameter of about 6    mm or more and are N199D in color.-   Vegetative buds: Arrangement: opposite; Shape: ovoid; Size: about 2    mm in length, about 1 mm in width; Color: 144B.-   Leaves:-   Size: About 16.6 cm in length and about 7.5 cm in width. Shape:    ovate, with acuminate apex, cuneate base and serrate margin.    Texture: thick and leathery. Color: emerging leaves are 146A on the    upper and lower surfaces; mature leaves on the upper surface are    147A, and 147B on the lower surface.-   Venation: Pinnate, veins are 144C on upper and lower surfaces.-   Petiole: About 2.4 cm in length and about 3.5 mm in diameter,    glabrous texture, and 178A in color.-   Flowers:-   Inflorescence bloom period: Early summer to first frost in fall. An    inflorescence contains about 62 individual fertile flowers. An    inflorescence contains about 280 individual sterile florets.    Inflorescence shape and size: mophead, about 7.2 cm in height and    about 8.9 cm in diameter. The inflorescence is effective for about 8    weeks. The peduncle is about 4.6 cm in length, is finely pubescent,    and is 144C in color. The pedicels are about 1 cm in length, finely    pubescent, and 144C in color.-   Flower bud size: About 2 mm in length, about 2 mm in diameter.    Flower bud shape: round; Color: N88D. Sterile florets are about 2 cm    in diameter. Each floret contains 4 sepals about 9 mm in length and    about 8 mm in width. Sterile floret shape: ovoid with obtuse apex,    acute base, and entire margin; Texture: smooth with no pubescence;    Color at maturity: the upper surface is N88C and the lower surface    is 91B.-   Petals (fertile flowers): Size: 5 petals per flower, about 2.5 mm in    length and about 1.5 mm in width; Shape: ovate, with acuminate apex,    truncate base, and entire margin; Texture: smooth with no    pubescence; Color: at peak of bloom the upper surface of the petals    is 92B and the lower surface is 91B.-   Number of stamens: 6 to 10. Anthers: about 1 mm in length and about    0.5 mm in width, 91B in color. Filaments: about 2.5 mm in length and    91C in color. Pollen: NN155C in color, produced in moderate    quantities. Pistil: superior, about 2.5 mm in length and about 1.5    mm in width, 91B in color. Stigma: 2 or 3 per pistil, round in shape    and 91C in color. Style: about 1.5 mm in length and tubular in    shape, 91B in color.-   Fruit: The capsule fruit is ovoid, about 3 mm in length and about 2    mm in width. Color at maturity is 200C. The number of fruit per    infructescence varies widely. Seed: The seeds are round, about 0.5    mm in length and about 0.5 mm in width, close to 199B, and each    capsule contains about 50 seeds.-   Disease/pest resistance: Moderately resistant to powdery mildew and    leaf spot. No other pest or disease resistance/susceptibility has    been observed. ‘Little Bo Peep’ is cold hardy from USDA Cold    Hardiness Zones 5-9.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Hydrangea macrophylla plant named ‘LittleBo Peep’, substantially as illustrated and described herein.